Flynn sent a text message to his partners about the nuclear plan during the inauguration, says an informant

Former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty last week to lying to the FBI about his contacts prior to taking office with senior Russian officials. | Susan Walsh / AP

Democrats say the complainant approached them in June, but Mueller asked them to keep the information secret so far.

By KYLE CHENEY

06/12/2017 01:00 PM EST

Congressional Democrats said Wednesday they have evidence of a confidential whistleblower few minutes after President Donald Trump's inauguration, then national security adviser Michael Flynn sent assurances to former business partners that a plan to build nuclear reactors throughout the Middle East was "good."

Democrats on the House oversight committee said in a letter dated Wednesday that it was attending an opening day event with Flynn's former business partner, Alex Copson, managing partner of ACU Strategic Partners.

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The complainant said Copson effusively that Trump's inauguration was "the best day of my life" because it meant his company's effort to create an energy partnership between the United States. UU and Russia in the Middle East, which would have included more than two dozen nuclear plants in the region were advancing.

Then, when Trump gave his inaugural address, the complainant said Copson placed his phone to reveal a text message he said came from Flynn and described the nuclear reactor project as "good to carry." . "According to the account, the complainant did not see the substance of the text, but he remembered seeing a 12:11 PM mark of time. At that time, Flynn was on the stand during Trump's speech

" Our committee has credible accusations that President Trump's National Security Adviser tried to manipulate the course of international nuclear policy for the financial benefit of his former business partners, "Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, He said in the letter to President Trey Gowdy (RS.C.): "These serious accusations force a full, credible and bipartisan investigation into Congress."

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Neither the lawyer of Flynn nor Copson responded immediately to requests for comments on Wednesday. Scrutiny of the nuclear plan has increased after congressional Democrats said Flynn did not disclose travel related to the Middle East when he submitted his application for renewal of security clearance in 2016.

Flynn pleaded guilty last week to lying to him FBI on his pre-opening contacts with senior Russian officials, and said he was cooperating with the investigation of special lawyer Robert Mueller on whether Trump's associates colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 elections. Flynn could also be a witness Crucial in an investigation into whether Trump intended to obstruct Russia's investigation by firing former FBI director James Comey.

Cummings, the main Democratic oversight committee in the House, said the informant approached the committee in June, but Mueller's investigators asked him to "maintain public disclosure of this information until they have completed certain investigation steps. "

Now they have informed us that they have done so, "Cummings told Gowdy, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment The White House did not respond either. Multiple news reports described emails and accounts that revealed the boasting of Flynn's former associates about his nuclear plan, as well as Flynn's efforts in the White House to promote the agreement.

This is the beginning of something I've been working on for years, "the whistleblower recalled. when Copson said at the opening day event, according to the letter from the Democrats: "Mike has been putting everything in his place for us." [19659018] The informant also said that Copson said the sanctions of the Obama era, which he said threatened the nuclear project, would be "destroyed."

Cummings described the complainant as "authentic, credible" and reliable. "He also said that the complainant" still fears reprisals "but felt" obligated as a citizen to make this disclosure. "The complainant, Cummings added, has expressed his desire to meet with Gowdy if he agrees to keep the individual's identity secret.

Cummings has complained for months that Gowdy will not quote the White House for more details on Flynn's conduct during his brief tenure as adviser to Gowdy. Trump's National Security Flynn resigned just 24 days after Trump's inauguration, after allegedly tricking Vice President Mike Pence on his conversations with Russian officials in the weeks leading up to the inauguration.

Gowdy previously rejected the call Cummings to quote the White House for the records of Flynn on the grounds that it could conflict with Mueller's research.

"Much of what my fellow Democrats seek, if properly investigated, imputed and proven beyond reasonable doubt, carries criminal penalties," Gowdy wrote in a letter to Mueller and the Deputy on October 18. Attorney Rod Rosenstein. "Congress does not process, and can not, crimes."

But Cummings is using the new information to suggest that Gowdy withdraw his objections. He noted that he and Gowdy's predecessor, former representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah, worked together to obtain documents indicating that Flynn had omitted key information about foreign contacts on their security clearance forms.

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